Saturday, 26 May 2018

Throughout the day volunteers have been continuing to progress with 401. Today they had the frame jacked up to enable the springs to be fitted and lower the axleboxes into the underkeeps, which allows the springs to be fitted under no tension. The weight of the frames is then slowly lowered down onto the springs. The rear side rods have also been fitted along with the combination lever, radius rod and union link (on both sides)

Sunday, 13 May 2018

Trains may not have been running today but volunteers were still in, early doors, and continuing with the mammoth task of tidying up the back field. Today included mainly sorting out a pile of sleepers and neatly (ish) stacking the good ones and throwing the bad ones into the rotten pile.

The majority of the sleepers were well intact with chairs still bolted in place, the dumper truck was used to pull most of them out

The John Deere tractor was used to clear shrubbery and dump ash in its place

Good sleepers starting to pile up

Piling up the rotten sleepers

The area to the left after clearing it of sleepers, the good sleepers are stacked up in the RHS of the photo

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June 2018

July 2019

About NTSR

The Association that operates the railway was formed in 1977 as The Monkwearmouth Station Museum Association for the purpose of assisting the then named Tyne & Wear Joint Museums Service to restore railway related items at the former Goods Shed at Monkwearmouth, Sunderland. The first items to receive members attention were Consett Iron Company's diesel locomotive No.10 and steam locomotive A.No.5.
We have a purpose built train shed consisting of a locomotive stabling space, a locomotive workshop and a carriage and wagon workshop.
The actual railway runs from Middle Engine Lane (shed & museum) two miles towards Percy Main terminus, going past Silverlink retail centre and roughly following the old British Rail lines. Trains run every Sunday and bank holiday from April to October, including Santa Specials in December, every year. Many different events are held including a Day Out With Thomas event during the peak of summer time.
Additional exhibits have been acquired by Tyne Wear Museums & Archives (who now operate the site); North Tyneside Council, and ourselves. As well as carrying out restoration and maintenance work on these, our volunteers operate the railway.